Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Review: "The Last Lullaby"

Ever find yourself digging through the discount DVD bin at
Wal Mart in the middle of the night? You’re not really looking to buy
something, and you’re really not looking for anything in particular – you’re
just trying to fill the time. For some, a wide eyed walk around the local store
is all that’s needed to burn that last bit of energy. For others…

The Last Lullaby is a story lead by two such people; two
restless souls, troubled by sleepless nights and haunted pasts. When their
paths inevitably cross, they will have to work together, not only to resolve
their more immediate problem, but to ultimately get a good night’s sleep.

We are first introduced to our male lead, a nameless ex
hitman who goes by whatever alias He can think of. Played by Tom Sizemore, Jack
(his primary alias) lives a fairly comfortable life, but does so uncomfortably.
Weathered and restless, Jack visits a convenience store where, by chance, He
overhears a kidnapping plot. Out of sheer boredom, He rescues a woman, only to
demand a ransom for her safe return. While He handles this situation with the
expertise you’d expect, He seems to be going through the motions; punching a
thug in the face is just like going to the store or watching Nick at Nite for
this guy.

Months later, He is contacted by the woman’s father to
perform a job; to eliminate a witness. He hesitantly accepts, and proceeds to
go about his former routine. This is where He meets (well, observes) his target
Sarah, played by Sasha Alexander. Probably breaking a golden rule, Jack makes
his presence known to her, only to end up striking an immediate relationship.

Just as restless as Jack, Sarah also has an equally troubled
past. Having witnessed the murder of her mother at a young age (the incident
that has now made her a target), Sarah has been unable to sleep, or live, easy
for years. Travelling from town to town, and picking up calm nerving habits
like swimming or gun shooting, She has been unable to forget, and unable to,
well, move on. In this way, she is Jack’s kindred spirit. Both need to drop
their past, but have been unable to do so alone. Together, they will try again.
Jack will protect Sarah from and eliminate for her the men who seek her
silence, and Sarah will try to fill the void Jack has lived with for so long.

I first saw this movie a few years ago at the Prytania
Theatre during the New Orleans Film Festival. It impressed me then, and
impresses me now. For starters, the film has a very nice mood to it. Despite
the loud gunshots and occasional blood, I found things to be relatively calm
(exactly what Jack and Sarah are wanting). From the musical score, to the
lighting/color scheme, to the use of quiet environments like small towns,
swimming pools and empty roads, the film just has an all around soothing tone.

The casting/acting of Tom Sizemore is equally noteworthy.
Seen mostly in direct to dvd titles in the last decade (including a short stint
in self made porn), as well as being in and out of trouble with the law, Tom’s
performance is a sort of reflection of his real life. Similar to Mickey Rourke
in “The Wrestler” and “Kill Shot”, the role of Jack – a weathered, lonely,
tired yet sleepless assassin – was meant for an actor that not only looks like
He’s lived a rough life, but has the experiences/memories to back it up. The
way He walks, the way He talks, and the way He stares at you all tell a story
on their own. Letting Tom play Jack is like giving a baseball to Nolan Ryan –
Tom nailed it.

Filmed in Shreveport
by hometown filmmaker Jeffrey Goodman, “The Last Lullaby” ought to be added to
your Netflix queue as soon as possible. With a movie as surprisingly good as
this, you have every reason to stay in bed. No need making that 2AM trip to
Walgreens, as you can always buy an extra gallon of milk later.